June’s Co-Op Talk brought attendees back to their childhoods to explore game restrictions in the topic Parental Controls: To Play & Protect.
First thing was first: how much restriction did we have in gaming when we were kids? The answer: not one of us had the same experience growing up. Some of us had zero rules when it came to games. Others had a bevy of restrictions on both game titles and screen time. A few were in the middle with a couple big rules like no MA titles or limited game time when it was sunny outside.
We definitely weren’t allowed to do this inside
Many found ways around the rules, however. If dad says “no,” mom might say yes. Neighborhood friends were also a good resource for banned titles. Then there’s the old standby of hiding your PC screen or switching tabs before they could see the blood splatter.
Delving further into our childhoods, we looked at if our parents were active in our gaming lives. The range was just as wide as our restrictions: yes, no, sort of, sometimes. Some parents were very active and joined in on the kid-friendly games. A couple attendees watched their parents play, but rarely played together. And then there were the parents who had no clue about this whole gaming thing.
Leaving our childhoods behind, we were posed with the complicated question of whether or not games should be restricted. To nobody’s surprise, we had very mixed reactions, but all agreed that restrictions based on ESRB (Entertainment Software Ratings Board) ratings alone should be avoided. There are some stark differences between the MA rating in Grand Theft Auto and the MA rating in This War of Mine, especially pertaining to context. While the ESRB provides a peek at game content, their ratings don’t show a complete picture.
While the group was not in favor of ESRB ratings as the sole deciding factor in restrictions, many felt screen time limitations were a good thing. Kids shouldn’t spend every waking minute playing games, but share some of it with other interests, schoolwork, and family time.
Choose your 30 minutes well
But what about the unrated wilds of online gaming? We all acknowledged that it was nearly impossible to protect kids from it forever. The group thought it was realistic to keep young children from the shadier parts of the internet through a mix of parental involvement and control settings on consoles, PCs, and browsers. As they get older though, it isn’t realistic to keep teens sheltered from the internet.
After talking, it was clear to us that there is no gaming restriction that would fit every child’s need, but there are methods that parents could use to determine what is best for their child. The group felt that the most effective way to be sure of what a kid is playing, is for the parent to be involved. Playing together, checking out playthrough videos, reading reviews by parents, and keeping open communication can go a long way. Combining those with the knowledge of their kid, recommended ratings, and customizable controls creates solid, individually tailored restrictions.
Nothing simultaneously builds and tests family bonds better than a good boss battle
The group also felt it is important to make gaming meaningful for children. Many educational games have built in benchmarks that display progress. Creating a dialogue or activity around other title’s core issues and contexts can be an excellent way to gauge what they learn. Even the act of only buying a new game after an educational game or activity is finished can be strong motivation.
Finally, the group felt that ratings should be well-rounded. Instead of only listing a few negatives, ratings should also include positive traits, such as problem solving or decision making skills. The group also felt that there should be more done to explore ratings for micro-transactions, addictiveness, and overall educational benefits. While many groups have begun to look at these, there is still much further to go, and we hope to see these reflected on game cases or adopted by the ESRB in the future.
